THE BUBAL NEW-YOBKEB. 
which is narrow, but farther on, west of Cool- 
idge, widens somewhat. The Arkansas, which 
rises far tip In the Rocky Mountains, is a very 
long river, and like many others of similar 
length, surprises one with the slenderness of 
its stream. Although some of the moat famous 
countries are productive only through irriga¬ 
tion—Egypt is one—nothing can be more bar¬ 
ren and forlorn than such lands before the 
transforming power of water has been applied. 
From these “irrigable lands’' on to Pueblo, 
which is one of the principal cities in Colo¬ 
rado, the road runs through this most barren 
country—houseless and homeless save for a 
miserable shanty, or an adobe hnt (built, of 
sun dried bricks—in fact, sun-baked niud) at 
long intervals; scarcely a wisp of grass is to 
be seen: bunches of sage, thistles bearing a 
large white flower, cacti, an occasional tuft 
in crimson bloom; prairie dogs, or gophers, 
sitting on their haunches; acres of stunted 
wild, withered suuflowers, and at rare inter¬ 
vals a herd of cattle or sheep, feeding on im¬ 
aginary grass?; oh, my! such an unhappy-look¬ 
ing country! And still it was interesting from 
its very lack of attractiveness. The railway 
stations were neat and pretty—little spots, 
made green with water, a fountain playing in 
the lawn, and twice I saw a statue keeping the 
fountain company. 
As the Arkansas Valley lias so much of a 
reputation for fertility, it will be bat just to 
repent what, “everybody” here says of it— 
that no land is more productive than this 
under irrigation, and that the irrigating com¬ 
panies that are expending so much money 
here, have full faith in the financial success of 
forthcoming results. The plains back from 
the valley lands, where the herds and flocks 
feed on the short, sweet Buffalo Grass, are said 
to be more than usually green at this season, 
on account of the unusual rainfall. They are 
not visible from the railroad which runs 
through the valley, anil the flocks and herds 
we saw had probably come into the valley for 
water. T am told by an old Colorado rancher, 
that the cows will sometimes travel 20 miles 
for water, and leave their calves in herds on 
the plains. He also says that cows will do 
nicely from two to four days without water, 
and that sometimes they will not be injured 
without it for a week, especially if there are 
dews. This shows what can tie accomplished 
by discipline; for it is very evident? that the 
good family cow of the East, reared in luxu¬ 
ry, is by no means so akin to the camel as this 
Western sister, that knows so little of the com¬ 
forts of life. 
As we sped on.the snowy peaks of the Rocky 
Mountains began to appear, looking like cas¬ 
tles in the Bky. At La Junta (pronounced 
Hoonta) A3 miles east of Pueblo, T was told 
that a large irrigating company, having head¬ 
quarters at Denver, and with a capital of 
$1,000,000, had begun a ditch tit feet wide. So 
far as I can learn, there is little chance for 
persons of small means to do anything in 
Colorado. Companies, or men with large 
means, control the best opportunities, and it 
is probably true that, in order to achieve suc¬ 
cess, large capital is necessary. West of La 
Junta I was told of a man who had lived 
there for 14 years, and from one acre of land 
which he managed to irrigate, he sometimes 
cleared $2,000 in raising melons. He sold his 
melons for 25 cents apiece on the grouud. 
The soil, a loose, gravely lourn, quickly ab¬ 
sorbs water, and produces most vegetables 
satisfactorily. At Nepesta, farther on, we 
saw quite a space of irrigated ground—gardens 
with grape-vines, small fruits, and some very 
large corn—an oasis in the desert. This coun¬ 
try is visited by cloud-bursts at times—the 
raip falling with such force and in such quan¬ 
tity, that the laud is marked out in very curi¬ 
ous gorges, and the streams suddenly rise at 
such times from eight to ten feet, and people 
are so swiftly overtaken as to be drowned. 
There are occasional springs. A spot hi<li up 
on a hill at the left, fenced in, is pointed out 
as the spot where Kit Carson was killed, and 
where for a time be was buried. But now 
there are no Indians, and the buffalo has been 
driven from the plains. As we approach 
Pueblo, the Saugre-de-Cristo (Blood of Christ) 
Mountains and the Spanish PAaks appear, 
and quickly Pike’s Peak comes into view. All 
over the country point* of rock are exposed- 
rock full of shells and fossilized fish; for all 
this country was once a sea undoubt¬ 
edly. The .succession of mounds, or table 
lands, have been worn into curious shapes by 
storms of wind, rain and sand. The table 
lands are called mesas. Wherever flocks of 
sheep have been pastured, the land looks ut¬ 
terly bereft of vegetation, save the everlasting 
sage brush, which is low, and grows in bunch¬ 
es. Cows eat it, and the milk tastes of it, but , 
the flavor is more tolerable than that of gar- , 
lie. The sage looks like the aromatic herb, i 
sometimes called in the East ‘Old Man,” but ( 
in color is like garden sage. Everywhere are , 
ant hills—little mounds of sand, or gravel, , 
P ueblo is 'an* altogether modern city, with 
great smelting furnaces and steel manufacto¬ 
ries—a sandy, barren, business place, hot in 
the day, with cool nights. We could not see 
much of the town in the short hour we spent 
there, and there are undoubtedly some pleas¬ 
ant, homes and irrigated lawns and. gardens. 
We found, at this point, that no trains were 
running over the Denver and Rio Grande Road 
to Salt Lake, to which place we were ticket¬ 
ed; and in all probability the route would not 
be open for several days, as miles of the track 
bad been washed out by the heavy rains and 
floods from the melting snows of the moun¬ 
tains, so we had no better resource than to go 
to Colorado Spriugs, 45 miles north, on the 
Denver branch of the road. As Colorado 
.Springs is 0,000 feet above the sea level, the 
grade was a constantly ascending one, but al¬ 
though we were nearing the Rocky Moun¬ 
tains, the landscape presented ever the same 
“God-and-man forsaken”appearance, only the 
mountains relieved the weariness of the scene. 
At intervals l saw small patches of what looked 
as if it might be com, or spring wheat, but I 
felt sorry for everything that was trying to 
obtain life from the loose, dry soil. I pitied 
all animal life, and felt, amazed at the courage 
aud energy that led men to seek their fortunes 
in this “desert” land. It seemed difficult, in¬ 
deed, to realize that it is in this State, that so 
many fortunes have been and are still made, 
and such thousands and thousands of sheep 
and catele annually reared. But l cau’t help 
but pity the sheep and the cattle. An equally 
difficult thiug to realize, was that we 
were approaching a place famed for health, 
comfort, and beauty—the “Saratoga of the 
West.” I thought of the great array of inva¬ 
lids, of dying consumptives who had traversed 
this weary land on their way to the healing 
climate. How dreary, how home-sickening it 
must have lwon! How hot and arid iu Sum¬ 
mer! how bleak and forlorn in Winter! But 
presently the mountains loom nearer, there is 
a growing freshness aud strength in the air, 
On a great mesa at the foot of the “everlast¬ 
ing hills,” lies a lovely town, shaded with 
trees —the ever-beautiful Cotton Wood- 
charming cottages, stately residences, wide 
streets hard and smooth as a. rolled floor, 
green lawns, flowers iu bloom, rich vegetable 
gardens, irrigating ditches by the roadside iu 
which flows the life-giving water, aud just 
above, with its crown of snow, and reposing 
serenely in the midst of its stately neighbors, 
the justly famed Bike’s Peak. We are at 
Colorado Spriugs, and it is noontide. 
RURAL SPECIAL REPORTS. 
Arkansas. 
Malvern, Hot Springs Co., July 24.—I have 
been a resident of Arkansas now nliout four 
months, having immigrated from New York 
State, and am reasonably well satisfied with 
the soil and climate. There are drawbacks 
here, of course. The rains frequently come 
down too fast for the water to settle or soak 
into the laud as it falls, and a part runs off, 
cutting out gullies in many places on sloping 
ground, This is true of the entire South and 
South-west; much more damage is done in 
hilly than in flat regions. We have had a 
plentiful supply of rain here this Summer, 
and com and cotton will make fair crops, if 
no more rain should come till Fall. Fruit trees 
of all kinds have made a good growth. Peach, 
apple and plum trees are maturing fair crops. 
Many seedling peach trees are very heavily 
laden with fruit. What pear trees I haveseen, 
look vigorous and healthy. Tree agents are 
urging people here to buy LeCoute and Keif- 
fer Fear trees, and many are buying small 
numbers. I fear the difficulty will be to get 
much price for the fruit. People want, fruit 
that is good to eat as well as handsome. One 
of my neighbors has 7,000 young peach trees, 
two-thirds of them being the very earliest 
sorts. Since he has learned what low prices 
the early peaches bring in St. Louis aud Chi¬ 
cago this season, he is sorry that his orchard 
is so largely of early sort*. The fact is, that 
early peaches are not as large and high fla¬ 
vored as the sorts ripening later; neither are 
the very late poaches equal in quality to those 
ripening in miiisummer aud early Fall. Per¬ 
sons preparing to plant should keep this fact 
in mind. Fruit of any sort, to sell on its 
merits, must taste well, and should also look 
well. The Wild Goone Plum and all the Chick¬ 
asaw family of plums of various colore are 
heavy and constant bearers here, aud it seems 
to me they deserve considerable space on 
every fruit farm. Beveral varieties of 
grapes rot badly here, owing, I think, 
to the heavy dews. A cover of boards, 
cloth, or anything to afford a shelter 
two to three feet wide over the grape 
trellis seems to be generally sufficient, and 
cheaper than bagging the clusters. It is claim¬ 
ed that a few sorts are entirely free from rot, 
as the Scuppernong family, Norton’s Virginia, 
Perkins and some others. I think the absence 
of rain aud dew in Summer is what saves the 
grape from rot in California. We have had 
but little trouble from insect pests yet. The 
housefly and wood tick are our principal an¬ 
noyances; no fleas, bed bugs or mosquitoes, 
We have steady warm weather during most 
of the daylight each day, and a cool breeze at 
night, allowing us to sleep well. The average 
amount of heat each month fs considerably 
higher than at the North, or weeould not raise 
sweet potatoes, pea-nuts, cotton, aud tiO to 80- 
pound melons. But Fall, Winter, and Spring 
are said to lie the pleasantest parts of the year, 
especially for heavy outdoor work. I have 
worked out in the sun hoeing and cultivating 
nearly every week day since April I. When l 
get uncomfortably warm and wet with sweat, 
about ten A. m.. [ go to my bath-room and take 
a sponging over my entire body from a pail 
of fresh, cool rain water, put on a dry shirt, 
and Htay in the shade and rend till three or 
four o’clock, p. m., then go out and work till 
dusk. Iabstain from the black coffee, bacon 
and hot, heavy, doughy biscuit, which many 
others eat here. Eat plenty of fruit*, vegeta¬ 
bles, milk and good bread of corn or wheat 
meal, with now aud theu some fresh meat of 
some kind; also keep your mind serene aud 
free from anxiety, and you will uot have chills 
or ague, and can pass througli the Summer 
comfortably, and the Fail, Winter and Spring 
delightfully. Evaporuting sweet potatoes was 
tried last year by several parties iu this State, 
and the product found a ready sale. This is 
probably the beginning of a new and import¬ 
ant Industry. Prof. O. S. Fowler the phren¬ 
ologist, author and lecturer, has bought 15,000 
acres of fruit land near here for himself aud 
some friends for orchards. There will be a 
display of the fruits, farm products, woods, 
and minerals of Arkansas at the Exposition 
at St. Louis, opening Sept. 3d, aud closing 
Oct. 18th. A n 
Wynne, Cross Co., July 11.—Wo had 
a very bad Spring, wet and cold; wo are now 
having the other extreme; we have had only 
two or three showers since the fifth of June, 
although it has rained within two or three 
miles of us. The people work cotton too 
early, it being very tender; I do uot work it 
till it is five or six inches high, aud I find it 
does not retard its growth and it produces 
more. The Rural seeds have done well ex¬ 
cept oats, which did not head well. Planted 
Rural New-Yorker Peas 32d of April; fruited 
well, ripe about the first of June. Hereford's 
is a good pea; cultivation scant, no manure. 
Tomatoes fine, we are now eating them: vv. p. 
Canada. 
Lynn Valley, Norfolk Co., Ontario.— 
Crops are good. Clover is partly cut—a good 
crop. Wheat is fair; early sown, good; late 
sown, not so good. Oats and corn look well. 
Days hot; nights cool. o. w. s. 
Dakota. 
Raymond, Clark Co., July 21.—Barley har¬ 
vest commenced here last week, but not much 
has been done yet, as the weather is rather 
unsettled. Recent rains and cool weather 
have improved erops very much, aud for once 
the slow-going and poor farmers are comiug 
out very well. Wheat is in splendid condition, 
aud will be a large crop. Com and root crops 
are doing well, the former beiug a month 
ahead of last. year. If we have no early frost 
we are certain to have an average crop, even 
on the sod. Grass is abundant, and stock is 
thriving well on it; some complaint that the 
Needle Grass is sticking in their mouths and 
throats, but I have not heard of any real in¬ 
jury. Good butter is selling at a shilling a 
pound. t. m. 
Illinois 
Gknkhko, Henry Co., July 15.—Crops of all 
kinds are good, and if favorable weather eou 
tinues, we may expect a bountiful harvest. 
Hay Is a big crop, and is being put up slowly 
on account of frequent showers. Rye is ripe 
and being harvested. Oats will be ready in 
two weeks. Potatoes are doing well—some 
beetles on them. The dropper and self-rake 
are being laid aside. The self-binder is taking 
their places. The steam thrasher is replacing 
the horse power. Now cun’t some “inventive 
Yankee” invent something to take the place of 
men at the thrasher i Help is always scarce 
and hard to get in the busy season, and if to 
bohad, alwayseommandsgood wages, j, j. m. 
Indiana. 
East Germantown, Wayue Co., July 14. 
—Wheat harvest is just finished, and where 
thrashed the yield has been in every respect 
satisfactory. Corn looks well, and there is 
every indication of a large crop. “mack.” 
Kannua, 
Jewell City, Jewell Co., July 13.—Spring 
was wet, cold, aud backward, but very favor¬ 
able to small grains of all kinds, which are the 
best, taken as a whole, for a number of years. 
We are just finishing harvest, and some few 
have thrashed a portion of their crops. The 
yield of wheat is all the way from 15 to 50 
bushels per acre; price 00 cents. Oat* splen¬ 
did; none threshed yet. The prospect for 
corn never was better at this time. It was 
beginning to suffer from drought, but a splen¬ 
did rein ou lost evening renewed its vigor, 
aud it is just booming; price 40 cents. There 
is more clean corn in this county this Summer 
than I ever saw here. Potatoes wcl-e injured 
by late drought, but the late planting will 
now be a full crop. Vegetables of all kinds 
K°°^‘ i. n. p. 
Mississippi, 
Belmont, Tishomingo Co., July 18.—The 
prospects for corn and cotton were never bet¬ 
ter. 
M Issoiiri, 
BrrsmiERo, Jefferson Co., July 38.—Corn 
is nearly all laid by. Wheat aud oats already 
harvested and being threshed—average yield. 
Apples a very poor crop. No peaches. Ber¬ 
ries a medium crop. p. p. s. 
• New York. 
Wright’s Corners, Niagara Co., July 28. 
—Last week was splendid harvest weather, 
and farmers made use of it, and most of the 
wheat is cut, and much put into barns and 
stacks in splendid order. Wednesday after¬ 
noon we hud a heavy shower, which delayed 
hauling somewhat, but we needed it badly. 
Rain is now falling—the best since June 1— 
slow and warm. The Red Clover fields are 
blooming again, as of old; the rnidgo seems 
to have entirely disappeared, and the prospect 
for a good crop of clover seed was never bet¬ 
ter, When insects multiply till wo give up in 
despair, Nature comes to our aid,and they are 
swept away as by a wind. In my oat field 
Welcome ure fully ten days earlier than 
American Triumph, and these are a week 
earlier than the Rural Champion, I can 
hardly tell which will yield the most, but with 
this ruin thu chances are in favor of tho last. 
A neighbor made two acres very rich, and 
sowed five pounds of Welcome Cats on one, 
and 27 pounds on the other, I looked at 
the plot* the other day, and it was difficult 
to tell one from the other. This goes to show 
that it is the fertility of the land and cultiva¬ 
tion that determine the yield more than tho 
amount of seed. On a plot of my own, two rods 
by thirty, made very rich, 1 sowed wheat at 
the rate of one bushel per acre, and cut 34 
dozens of good wheat. The result of all my 
experiments says, more manure and less seed. 
Guo Held sowed ufter barley which was heav¬ 
ily salted, has tho whitest straw lever saw; 
can it be tho effect of tho salt? Now,after tho 
wheat is all harvested,! am satisfied the Cross 
bred Diehl-Mediterranean, with the same 
treatment, will yield from five to eight 
bushels per acre more than any other of some 
five varieties, and it is certainly a much finer 
sample. Potatoes are doing their level best, 
and corn is growing nicely for such cold 
weutber. A hot August will make it all right. 
H. M. J. 
Ohio. 
Atwater, Portage Co., July 25.—We have 
had very dry weather here for the last two or 
three months, with barely rain enough to lay 
the dust. The meadows und pastures arc very 
brown. The wheat was a fair crop, of good 
quality. Grass rather light. (Juts short, and 
a small crop. Potatoes small, and but few iu 
a hill. Apples, plenty for home use. o, m. 
Clintonvili.k, Franklin Co., July 20.—We 
are having a drought bore. Potato crop nearly 
a failure. Com suffering badly, and small 
fruit* dying. j. Bi Jt 
Seal, Wyandotte Co., July 21.—We are 
having dry weather here. Corn is needing 
raiu. Potatoes will bo a short crop. Oats are 
filling finely, and promise a good crop. Wheat 
is of extra quality, and the yield will be good 
—far better than was looked for last Spring. 
The hay crop is very heavy, und secured iu 
fine order. Apples will not be a good crop; 
they were badly injured by the frost of May 
20. No peaches. a. m. 
UniCH8VILi.il, Tuscarawas Co., July 14.— 
Farmers are busy hauling in their wheat and 
are getting it in in good condition. It is light 
on the ground, but well filled, and where fer¬ 
tilizers were used, there was a good stand. 
Hay and oats are very light owing to 
the dry weather that we are having for the 
last two months. Coni is looking well, and 
we shall have a good crop if we get rain soon. 
Apples, pears und quinces are good crops. 
The strawberry crop was good. Raspberries 
are plentiful, but the dry weather will cut the 
crop short. Our Cuthberts are very nice, 
large and productive. k. u. h. 
Pennsylvania. 
Grkkncahtle. Franklin Co., July 20- 
Farmers are very busy. Prices low but crops 
abundant. I am marketing iny wheat as fast 
as thrashed; many arc holding theirs back 
for higher prices. I think wheat will go still 
lower, what thinks tho Rural? [That it will 
go lower before it goes higher.—Ens.J I keep 
a few sheep, and disagree) with the gentleman 
